Post by pthurg on Sept 22, 2014 13:19:39 GMT
Hi.
I have a girl called Cookie who lives with a "flatmate" Truffle. Cookie in the past has had sniffles that I've treated with Baytril but they have occasionally recurred and sometimes cleared up by themselves.
At the moment and for the past couple of days, Cookie seems to be puffed up and has her hair fluffed out, she also wipes her nose occasionally but not to the degree that she does when she has the sniffles. She has lost a little weight but seems to be eating ok and very enthusiastically if offered something like a rare treat such as a peanut. She can certainly move easily if she wants and doesn't show any signs of being in pain either at rest or when moving. I've gently squeezed her round the middle as it appears a bit distended but she showed no signs of distress and just carried on being interested in the wood she was investigating.
She has not been open mouth breathing or laying in an odd way so I don't think it's bloat. She hasn't had anything different really to eat in her diet and gets the same food access as Truffle who is fine. Cookie may be a bit lethargic but not excessively so, not really any more than Truffle.
I've put some heat pads in to her house and she likes to sit on them, she becomes a bit less fluffy when she's on them and they're still warm, but if left she fluffs up again as they cool off. The room isnt cool by any means but I wonder if she's got a cold or the degu equivalent.
I'm really reluctant to take Cookie to the vets unless there,s a definate cause as she's the most timid degu I have and each time she's gone before it's really stressed her out, both the travel/unfamiliar enviromnent and the examination. I'm afraid it may do her more harm than good unless there's something definate, trouble is, I haven't seen this before and am really puzzled and getting worried.
Thanks in advance if anyone recognises this and can advise, cheers.
I have a girl called Cookie who lives with a "flatmate" Truffle. Cookie in the past has had sniffles that I've treated with Baytril but they have occasionally recurred and sometimes cleared up by themselves.
At the moment and for the past couple of days, Cookie seems to be puffed up and has her hair fluffed out, she also wipes her nose occasionally but not to the degree that she does when she has the sniffles. She has lost a little weight but seems to be eating ok and very enthusiastically if offered something like a rare treat such as a peanut. She can certainly move easily if she wants and doesn't show any signs of being in pain either at rest or when moving. I've gently squeezed her round the middle as it appears a bit distended but she showed no signs of distress and just carried on being interested in the wood she was investigating.
She has not been open mouth breathing or laying in an odd way so I don't think it's bloat. She hasn't had anything different really to eat in her diet and gets the same food access as Truffle who is fine. Cookie may be a bit lethargic but not excessively so, not really any more than Truffle.
I've put some heat pads in to her house and she likes to sit on them, she becomes a bit less fluffy when she's on them and they're still warm, but if left she fluffs up again as they cool off. The room isnt cool by any means but I wonder if she's got a cold or the degu equivalent.
I'm really reluctant to take Cookie to the vets unless there,s a definate cause as she's the most timid degu I have and each time she's gone before it's really stressed her out, both the travel/unfamiliar enviromnent and the examination. I'm afraid it may do her more harm than good unless there's something definate, trouble is, I haven't seen this before and am really puzzled and getting worried.
Thanks in advance if anyone recognises this and can advise, cheers.
